THE ROLE AND POLICYMAKING ACTIVITIES OF STATE BOARDS OF EDUCATION. REPORT ON A SPECIAL STUDY PROJECT.

SCHWEICKHARD, DEAN M.

SPONSORED BY STATE BOARDS OF EDUCATION IN ELEVEN REPRESENTATIVE STATES (ARKANSAS, COLORADO, CONNECTICUT, GEORGIA, NEW MEXICO, OHIO, OREGON, PENNSYLVANIA, SOUTH DAKOTA, MINNESOTA, AND WEST VIRGINIA), THIS STUDY CENTERS AROUND SEVEN BASIC PROBLEMS--(1) CONCEPTS OF "POLICY" AND "POLICYMAKING" IN STATE AND LOCAL EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION ARE NOT CLEAR AND PRECISE, (2) STATE EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES ARE GENERALLY REQUIRED TO DEVELOP ALL RULES AND REGULATIONS GOVERNING EXTERNAL ADMINISTRATION, BUT FEW STATE OFFICIALS ARE FAMILIAR WITH THIS ASPECT OF POLICYMAKING, (3) FEW STATE AGENCIES HAVE WELL-DEVELOPED PROGRAM PLANS OR KNOW HOW TO DEVELOP FUNCTIONAL PROGRAM PLANS ON AN AGENCY-WIDE BASIS, (4) FEW STATE AGENCIES ARE FULLY AWARE OF THE DEGREE TO WHICH THEY ARE CONTROLLED BY OTHER STATE AGENCIES, (5) FEW STATE EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES HAVE DEVELOPED AND CODIFIED A BODY OF WRITTEN POLICIES, (6) RESEARCH IN STATE EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION IS HANDICAPPED BY THE DIFFICULTY OF OBTAINING OBJECTIVE INFORMATION ABOUT THE "POLICIES" OF STATE EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES, AND (7) STATE BOARDS OF EDUCATION HAVE NOT BEEN AWARE OF THEIR POLICY DECISIONMAKING RESPONSIBILITIES. (HW)